Kenyan Company Secures Deal to Produce Revolutionary Monthly HIV Pill

A Kenyan pharmaceutical company has secured a landmark deal to produce a monthly HIV pill. Universal Corporation in Kikuyu, Kenya has partnered with Merck to manufacture alimatravir (MK-8527), a game-changing prevention medication that could drop the cost of Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) to just $4.70 for a full year's supply.

The pill provides robust protection against HIV-1 for an entire month, with efficacy beginning just one hour after ingestion. Clinical trials have shown that over 93 percent of participants maintained viral suppression when switching to long-acting regimens, with zero recorded instances of virological failure.

Kenya's Universal Corporation is among seven global manufacturers selected by Merck to produce generic versions of alimatravir. The facility in Kikuyu will scale operations to meet both domestic demand and export quotas, shielding the Kenyan Ministry of Health from volatile foreign exchange rates.

The integration of Universal Corporation into Merck's global supply chain signals immense confidence in Kenya's pharmaceutical manufacturing standards. By producing alimatravir domestically, the Kenyan government can integrate the commodity into its national procurement system ahead of the 2030 target.